What a feast of the Assumption of the Blessed One. What can be done on the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Holidays 27.08.2018

DORMITION OF THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD

August 15/28 the whole Christian world celebrates Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is one of the greatest church holidays. In Orthodoxy, it belongs to the number of the Twelve. On this day, the Holy Church commemorates the righteous death (assumption) of the Mother of God - an event colored at the same time by sadness at the end of the life path of the Mother of God and joy at the reunion of the Most Pure Mother with the Son. The Church calls the death of the Mother of God the Assumption (the Slavic word “assumption” means sleep), and not death, because ordinary human death, when the body returns to the earth, and the spirit to God, did not touch the Gracious.

The Mother of God is the most revered and most sacred person after the Lord, it is She who is given special honor and worship by all kinds of Christians. Countless churches and monasteries were erected in honor of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos, in every Christian church behind the main entrance marvelous frescoes depict Her holy burial, sublime hymns adorned the festive services, and brilliant solemn words were uttered by the Fathers of the Church and later churchmen on the occasion of the day of Her memory. . All human races vying with each other tried to bring her all the most valuable, in order to appease the Virgin Mary both in word and deed.

The Mother of God was a unique creation of God, surpassing both people and Angels. She was the only one of all people who led an immaculate life and became the Mother of God in an incomprehensible way for all things.

The feast of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos, following the feast of the bright Resurrection of Christ, was revered more than others by the Russian people. "Theotokos Easter" - that's how it was called in Russia. And this is no coincidence. Through Her Dormition, the Mother of God became even closer and dearer to Christians, for became a zealous Intercessor for them before the throne of God. Every time, celebrating the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we seem to meet Easter again, this time in summer.

During His execution, Jesus Christ, seeing the Mother of God standing nearby and the Apostle John, whom he especially loved, said to His Mother: “Woman! behold, thy son,” and to John: “behold, thy mother” (John 19:25-27).

From that time on, the Apostle John took care of the Mother of God until the end of Her life. From now on, we know about the earthly life of the Virgin only from the Apocrypha. She lived in the house of the Apostle John the Theologian in Jerusalem, becoming a common Mother for all the disciples of Christ, and on the day of Pentecost, like them, she received the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Mother of God led a closed, hidden life, but many knew about Her great wisdom and came from distant lands to talk with Her. Like the apostles, She planted and established the Christian Church with Her presence, word and prayers.

So about 10 years passed, and when the Jewish king Herod began the persecution of the Church, The Mother of God, together with the Apostle John the Theologian, moved to Ephesus, who fell to him by lot for the gospel sermon. Living here She visited the righteous Lazarus in Cyprus and Mount Athos, blessing her as Her inheritance.

The reverence of ancient Christians for the Mother of God was so great that they preserved everything about Her life that they could only notice from Her words and deeds, and even conveyed to us about Her appearance. “She was a Virgin not only in body, but also in soul, humble in heart, prudent in words, prudent, reticent, a lover of reading, industrious, chaste in speech. Her rule was not to offend anyone, to be well-disposed to everyone, to honor elders, not to envy equals, to avoid boasting, to be sane, to love virtue. When did She even offend her parents with her facial expression, when she was in disagreement with her relatives? When you were proud before a modest person, laughed at the weak, evaded the poor? She had nothing stern in her eyes, nothing imprudent in words, nothing indecent in her actions: her body movements were modest, her tread was quiet, her voice was even; so that Her bodily appearance was the expression of the soul, the personification of purity. She turned all Her days into fasting: she indulged in sleep only at the request of need, but even then, as Her body rested, She was awake in spirit, repeating what she had read in a dream, or reflecting on the fulfillment of her intended intentions, or delineating new ones. She left the house only to go to church, and then accompanied by relatives. However, although She appeared outside Her house accompanied by others, She herself was the best guardian for Herself; others guarded only her body, and she guarded her customs herself.

According to the tradition preserved by the church historian Nicephorus Callistus (XIV century), the Mother of God “was of medium height or, as others say, somewhat more than average; golden hair; eyes quick, with pupils, as it were, the color of an olive; the eyebrows are arched and moderately black, the nose is oblong, the lips are flowering, full of sweet speeches; the face is neither round nor pointed, but somewhat oblong; her hands and fingers are long... She maintained decorum in conversation with others, did not laugh, did not get indignant, and especially did not get angry; completely artless, simple, She did not think in the least about herself and, far from effeminacy, she was distinguished by complete humility. As for the clothes she wore, She was content with their natural color, which even now proves Her sacred head covering. In short, in all Her actions, a special grace was revealed.

Struck by Her beauty even in his advanced years, the disciple of the Apostle Paul, the Greek Dionysius the Areopagite, testified that if he had not confessed the One God, he would have decided that before him was a “beautiful goddess.”

Shortly before Her death, the Mother of God returned to Jerusalem. She often visited those places that were closely associated with Her Son: Bethlehem, Golgotha, the Holy Sepulcher, Gethsemane, Olivet. There She prayed earnestly, and over time, more and more often that the Son would take Her soon to Himself in heaven. According to legend, the Jews attempted to kill Her, for which, by order of the high priests, guards were placed at the Holy Sepulcher, but at the right moment, the soldiers lost their sight, and they could not see the Mother of God.

The Blessed Virgin expected the end of her earthly days calmly and even with joy - after all, She knew that there, in Heaven, she would meet Her Son and Her God. Once the Mother of God was in deep prayer on the Mount of Olives. Suddenly, the Archangel Gabriel appeared before Her and informed Her that in three days Her earthly life would end, that it was pleasing to the Lord to take Her to Himself. To commemorate his words, the archangel handed the Mother of God a luminous branch of paradise - a symbol of victory over death and corruption - (Dimitry of Rostov clarifies that it was a branch from a date palm), and indicated to carry it in front of the coffin during burial. With heavenly news, the Mother of God returned to Bethlehem with three virgins who served Her (Sepphora, Evigaea and Zoila). The Mother of God, having come home, joyfully informed her betrothed son John about this, and he informed the Apostle James and through him the whole Church of Jerusalem. The Mother of God commanded to bury Herself in Gethsemane, next to the graves of Her righteous parents and righteous Joseph the Betrothed.

On the day of the Dormition of the Mother of God, in a miraculous way in Jerusalem, almost all the apostles were gathered to say goodbye to Her, who had previously dispersed to different countries to preach the Word of God. The Apostle Paul arrived later than everyone else with his disciples: Dionysius the Areopagite, Hierotheus, Timothy and others from the 70 apostles. She called each of them to Her by name and blessed. Only the Apostle Thomas was absent.

The third hour arrived, when the Dormition of the Mother of God was to take place. Many candles were burning. The holy apostles with hymns surrounded the splendidly decorated bed, on which the Blessed Virgin Mary reclined. Suddenly an unspeakable light shone, darkening the lamps; the roof of the upper room was opened, and Christ Himself descended with many angels. The Most Holy Theotokos turned to the Lord with a prayer of thanksgiving and asked to bless all those who honor Her memory. She also prayed to His Son to protect Her from the dark satanic power, from air ordeals. Then the Mother of God joyfully gave Her soul into the hands of the Lord, and immediately angelic singing was heard. There are many versions regarding the age of the Virgin at the time of Her Assumption, but it is most likely that She lived for about 72 years and died about A.D. 57.

From Her fragrant body, the sick immediately began to receive healing. The solemn transfer of the Most Pure Body from Jerusalem to Gethsemane began. Peter, Paul, and James, along with the other apostles, carried the bed of the Mother of God on their shoulders, and St. John the Theologian walked in front with a heavenly radiant branch. The Apostle Peter began singing the psalm "In the Exodus of Israel from Egypt", solemn hymns sounded. Above the bed appeared a cloudy circle in the form of a crown, illuminated by radiance. This crown floated over the procession to the very place of burial. The procession was followed by Jews who did not believe in Christ.

The high priests sent their servants to disperse the procession, kill the apostles and burn the body of the Mother of God, but the angels struck the blasphemers with blindness. The Jewish priest Athos (according to other legends, Jethoniy or Zephaniah), who tried to overturn the bed of the Virgin, was punished by an angel who cut off his hands. Seeing such a miracle, Affonia repented and with faith confessed the greatness of the Mother of God. He received healing and joined the host of those who accompanied the body of the Mother of God, becoming a zealous follower of Christ. The repentant of the blind also received their sight.

For three days the apostles stayed at the tomb of the Mother of God, singing psalms. On the fourth day, the absent Apostle Thomas returned to Jerusalem and was very sad that he could not say goodbye and bow to the Mother of God. The apostles, taking pity on him, decided to go and roll away the stone from the grave cave in order to give him the opportunity to say goodbye to the Mother of God. But, to their amazement, the body of the Virgin was not in the cave, only burial clothes remained. Returning home, the astonished apostles fervently prayed to God that He would reveal to them what had become of the body of the Mother of God. And through their prayers, a miracle happened.

In the evening of the same day, the Mother of God Herself appeared to them and said: “Rejoice! I am with you - all the days; and I will always be your prayer book before God. This delighted the apostles and all who were with them so much that they raised the part of the bread supplied for the meal in memory of the Savior (“the part of the Lord”) and exclaimed: “Most Holy Theotokos, help us.” This was the beginning of the rite of the offering of the panagia - the custom of offering a piece of bread in honor of the Mother of God, which is still preserved in monasteries. That is why the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos is not a cause for sorrow, but a holiday. After all, “with you” means that She is with all of us, too, “all the days” ...

The Lord, by His special consideration, slowed down the arrival of Saint Thomas to the day of the repose of the Most Pure Theotokos, so that the tomb would be opened for him, and the Church, thus, was convinced of the resurrection of the Mother of God, just as earlier, through the unbelief of the same Apostle, was convinced of the resurrection of Christ. There is an Orthodox tradition that on the third day after the burial, the Mother of God appeared to the Apostle Thomas and threw Her belt from Heaven to comfort him.

Since then, the Church has been celebrating this event. Everything in it is a remembrance of the earthly life of the Mother of God, sadness and joy, because this is also the day of Her birth for eternal life, where She is placed above the angelic ranks, the day of testimony that the promises of the Lord are immutable, about life and about the miracle of the Resurrection ...

The feast of the Assumption of the Mother of God has been established by the Church since ancient times. In the 4th century, it was already widely celebrated in Byzantium. At the request of the Byzantine emperor Mauritius, who defeated the Persians on August 15, on the day of the Assumption of Our Lady (since 595), the holiday became a church-wide one. The main purpose of establishing the holiday was the glorification of the Mother of God and Her Assumption. To this main goal in the IV-V centuries. another one joins - the denunciation of the delusions of heretics who encroached on the dignity of the Mother of God, in particular, the delusions of the Collyridians, heretics of the 4th century, who denied the human nature of the Blessed Virgin (as a result of which they also denied Her bodily death).

The death of the Most Holy Theotokos the Virgin Mary is called the Dormition, because She “as if fell asleep for a short time, and, as if from a dream, rose to eternal life,” because death, as the return of her dust to the earth, and the spirit to God, did not touch Her. She only fell asleep in order to awaken at the same moment to an eternally blessed life and after three days with an incorruptible body to move into a heavenly incorruptible dwelling.

Place of the Assumption of the Virgin in Jerusalem

According to legend, Before her death, the Most Holy Theotokos lived in the house of the Apostle John the Theologian. Here she passed away.

In 415, on the site of the Dormition of the Theotokos, in the place where the house of the Apostle John the Theologian stood, next to the Chamber of the Last Supper, the Byzantine basilica "Holy Zion" was built, dedicated to the Easter Last Supper of Jesus Christ and His disciples, as well as the descent of the Holy Spirit on apostles at Pentecost. This temple was destroyed and rebuilt several times (in 614 during the invasion of the Persians, in 966 and in 1200 by Muslims).

In 1910, on this site, on the top of Mount Zion, a German Benedictine abbey was built - the monastery of the Assumption of the Virgin (Dormitsion) (at the end of the 19th century, the Catholic Benedictine Order managed to acquire this piece of land from Sultan Abdul-Hamid II).

In the crypt of the temple, in the center of the hall, there is a sculpture of the Virgin, reclining on a stone.

The most pure body of the Mother of God was buried just like she asked in the tomb where her parents Joachim and Anna, as well as Joseph the Betrothed, were previously buried. The tomb of the Virgin is located in Gethsemane, at the foot of the western slope of the Mount of Olives, in the Kidron Valley, in Jerusalem (East Jerusalem). In the 5th century, a temple was erected on the burial site. There is a legend that before St. Helena Equal to the Apostles built a basilica here. In 614 the temple was destroyed, but the tomb of the Mother of God was preserved.

Tomb of the Mother of God, view from the northern entrance to the Kuvuklia. The Orthodox altar, set over the sacred bed, is covered with a red veil

In 681, the tomb of the Virgin was opened by decision of the Sixth Ecumenical Council. According to legend, a belt and burial shrouds were found in it.

Now the cave church of the Assumption of the Virgin stands above the tomb.

Most of the modern building dates back to the time of the Crusaders. This is an underground temple, which leads to 50 steps, with aisles of Sts. Godfathers Joachim and Anna and Joseph the Betrothed, located on the sides of the stairs.

The temple has a cruciform shape: in the center is the tomb of the Virgin with two entrances, at the end of the cave there is an altar. In a stone bow there is a miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Jerusalem in Russian writing.

Tomb of the Virgin (Edicule), view from the west

Tomb of the Theotokos (cuvuklia), view from the west. To the left of the entrance is the Armenian throne

The temple belongs to the Greeks and Armenians. It is here, according to tradition, before the feast of the Assumption from Little Gethsemane, near the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, that the Orthodox carry the Shroud of the Most Holy Theotokos in procession along the same path that the apostles once carried the body of the Mother of God to burial.

Celebration of the Assumption of the Virgin in Greece

In Greece, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated almost as widely as Easter. At the center of celebrations Tinos island, and his miraculous icon of the Mother of God "Tinos": miraculous healings, volleys from ship cannons, flowers and flags, military bands and religious processions.

A solemn procession leaves the temple, the icon is hoisted onto a stretcher carried by sailors

Under the numerous gifts with which the believers decorated the icon in gratitude for the miracles, it is difficult to discern the plot of the icon - the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary with the good news. Nevertheless, every year on the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, thousands of people flock to the Greek island of Tinos to kneel from the port to the temple and touch the miraculous icon.

Everyone passing under the icon tries to touch it with his hand or attach some object to the icon.

There is a straight road from the port to the temple on the hill. On the side of the road, a path made of a material like carpet was laid especially for pilgrims.

Sometimes parents take sick children on their backs so that they can be healed.

In Greece on the island of Kefalonia, or "Island of Miracles", as it is called, every year on August 15 to the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the village of Markopulo, where miraculous icon of Panagia Fedus(translated as “Virgin of the Serpent”), poisonous snakes crawl. Believers call them "the snakes of the Virgin Mary", because on this day they are harmless. They do not exceed one meter in length, they have a cross on their head, as well as on the tip of the tongue. According to tradition, if snakes do not appear, this is a bad sign. This happened twice - in 1940 before the outbreak of World War II in Greece and in 1953 - before the devastating earthquake.

Villagers notice snakes on the eve of the holiday, often gather with the priest in advance, read prayers and expect the appearance of snakes. Small snakes crawl here, and they are brought to the temple for Divine service. They are collected, put on the neck and stroked. Orthodox Greeks believe that this touch brings happiness. During the festive service, snakes are placed on the icon of the Mother of God, and they lie there quietly throughout the not-so-short service. According to ancient tradition, snakes are left in the church all night.

Snakes are mentioned in Christian books, mostly with a negative connotation, but Kefalonia is practically the only place in the world where these reptiles seem to be rehabilitated in the eyes of believing Christians.

Material prepared by Sergey SHULYAK

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of the twelve most significant holidays after Easter in the Orthodox liturgical calendar. The memory of the Mother of God glorifies this day and it falls on August 28 in a new style, and on the 15th in the old way. Before the celebration of this holy day, the Church commands all believers to fast from the 14th to the 27th of August in the name and following the example of the Most Holy Theotokos, who is in constant prayer and in the strictest fasting the days preceding Her Dormition.

Spiritual meaning and true meaning of the holiday.

It may seem absurd to many people to celebrate the day of the Assumption, i.e. the death of the Mother of God, because for most of us, death is associated only with heartache and longing, sorrow and the loss of someone whose life path has ended forever.

Since ancient times, it seemed to any ordinary person that the phenomenon of death is the most incomprehensible and greatest of all the existing mysteries of being. Death at all times caused awe and fear in people, their complete confusion, panic and bewilderment.

However, deeply believing Orthodox Christians know and passionately believe that everything that exists in the Divine universe has acquired an unshakable and reliable life foundation for all eternity. It is not death that people need to be afraid of, but the image of that and the actions of those with which their earthly existence will be filled.

Thanks to such faith, every Christian perceives the phenomenon of death not as the complete completion of a person's life, but only as a difficult, but necessary test for eternal and true existence. In this regard, the Assumption of the Virgin causes joy among the Orthodox, because through death she received the opportunity to be with her Son again.

An atheist can live his entire earthly life under the yoke of a terrible expectation of his own death as a complete self-disintegration, while an Orthodox believer, even when preparing for death, can only prepare for a new life.

However, one should not assume that Christians rank death among the good and joyful phenomena. It, of course, is a direct violation and distortion of the order originally established in the human universe, the loss of which occurs due to the fall of man, his disobedience to the Divine will and violation of the Law of God.

According to the dogmatic teaching of the Orthodox Church, God did not want people to die, they independently doomed themselves to it because of their spiritual weakness and indomitable flesh. But even in this case, our Savior showed unspeakable mercy and grace to man, He turned earthly death into a path to the eternal cohabitation of man with His Creator.

The Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God has been established since ancient times. Mentions of him can be found in the writings of Blessed Jerome, Gregory and Augustine, as well as in the writings of the Bishop of Tours.

In the 4th century, the Byzantine emperor Mauritius, in honor of his victory (August 15, 595) over the Persians, timed the celebration of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos to this day, defining this day and this event as one of the most important church holidays.

However, primarily in different places this holiday was celebrated at different times: in some places the celebration of the Holy Assumption took place in the month of January, and somewhere in August. For example, in the 7th century in the Roman Church in the West it was customary to celebrate on January 18 “the death of the Virgin Mary”, and at the same time, the 14th of August was determined as the day of “taking Her into the heavens of God”.

Only in the VII-IX centuries. The feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos began to be celebrated on August 15 in most Western and Eastern Churches. The purpose of this holiday was nothing more than the glorification and preservation of the memory of the Mother of God, and of Her reunion with her Son through the Dormition.

The stichera on the Dormition of the Theotokos appeared in the 5th century; they were written by the Patriarch of Constantinople. Then, in the 8th century, two canons dedicated to this holiday appeared, created by Saints John of Damascus and Cosmas of Maium.

According to the Holy Scriptures, after the death and Resurrection of the Savior of all, until the Great Persecution of Christians, the Mother of God was in Jerusalem. Then She, accompanied by John the Theologian, moved to Ephesus. She often visited the righteous Lazarus, who lives in Cyprus, and Mount Athos, which she later blessed as a Destiny for preaching the word of the Gospel.

Shortly before her death, the Mother of God again arrived in Jerusalem, which she had previously abandoned. Here She constantly remained in prayer and most often visited the places associated with the most important life events of Her Divine Son.

On one of the days of Her stay on the Mount of Olives, the Archangel Gabriel appeared before her. He informed Her that in three days Her death would come, and She would leave the earth, ascending to heaven to Her Son. The Most Holy Theotokos shared what had happened with the Apostle John, who hastily announced the impending death of the Mother of God to the brother of the Lord, the Apostle James. He, in turn, is the entire Jerusalem Church, which subsequently preserved the tradition of the Assumption of the Virgin.

Before Her death, the Mother of God bequeathed all her modest property to the widows - Her servants. She ordered them to bury Herself next to Her righteous parents in Gethsemane after death.

On the day of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, practically all the apostles, wandering around the world preaching about the Word of God, gathered in Jerusalem to say goodbye to Her. Her departure was accompanied by an unspeakable light, at the appearance of which Christ Himself appeared before Her, surrounded by numerous angels. The Mother of God turned to Him with a prayer and a heartfelt request for the blessing of all those who honor Her memory. She also called in prayer to the Son To surround Her with the protection of God from the power of Satan and the ordeals of the air, and then, in joy and grace, she gave Her soul into the Lord's hands.

For three days and three nights the apostles stayed at the tomb of the Mother of God, singing psalms. And only on the third day did they receive perfect and complete consolation from the Great Image of the Mother of God and Her words, calling everyone to rejoice, for from now on She will be with everyone and all the days. After the Resurrection and a comforting saying, the body of the Mother of God left the earth and was raptured to heaven.

The Day of the Assumption is marked with the death of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to the legend, the Holy Virgin prayed to quickly be next to the Lord in heaven. During another prayer, the Archangel Gabriel came to the Mother of God and said that death would soon come. Then Mary called the apostles and asked them to pray for her death. Soon her wish was granted: the Virgin gave up her spirit to heaven.

The celebration has 9 pre-holiday days - this is Assumption Fast. It lasts from August 14 to 27, when the body and mind reach spiritual enlightenment.

History, meaning of the holiday

The history of the celebration of the Assumption Day begins in the 6th century. For the first time, the celebration began to be celebrated during the reign of the Byzantine emperor Mauritius. Until the 6th century in Constantinople, the day of the Assumption was celebrated secretly, without the participation of the church.

The holiday is of great importance for believers. In terms of significance, the Assumption Fast and the day of the Assumption can be compared with Great Lent and Easter. On the day of the burial of the Mother of God, there is a special Service - the priests go to the shroud with the face of the Virgin Mary, lying in the middle of the temple, read prayer petitions, and then carry the mantle around the shrine.

Traditions

It has always been customary to go to church on the holiday, pray for the health of loved ones, ask the Mother of God to protect your home and family. Believing peasants necessarily observed the Dormition Fast before the celebration, during which it was forbidden to eat meat and dairy products of animal origin.

On the eve of the holiday and on the very day of the Assumption, it was forbidden to swear, swear, drink, walk and have fun. They celebrated the celebration in the family circle, be sure to set the table. It was not forbidden to drink some red wine.

Since the church celebration was already closely intertwined with Russian customs, it was believed that it was impossible to insert sharp shovels, pins, pegs into the soil during the Assumption. This was the expression of disregard for the earth, because it should also rest.

Interesting!

In the common people, the day of the Assumption was called "Master's Day."

Do's and Don'ts

During the celebration it is not forbidden:

• do household chores;
• work;
• drink:
• eat any food.

This day is a great celebration, so during its celebration a person should not feel constrained and feel uncomfortable.

It is forbidden to commit bad deeds, lie, keep bad thoughts in your head.

Signs

Since ancient times, Christians have believed that if you wear tight shoes on the day of the Assumption of the Virgin, then the year will be bad. In order not to bring disaster to their homes, people took out old worn-out shoes from the closets - they did not squeeze their legs.

Most other signs are related to the weather:

• If the weather is warm for the celebration, then the Indian summer will stand out with frosts;
• If it is rainy, then the autumn will be dry;
• If a rainbow appeared in the sky, it was a good omen and promised a warm autumn;
• A lot of cobwebs on the branches speak of a frosty winter.

In Russia, it was customary to marry for dormition, they said: “The Most Pure One has come - the unclean is bringing the matchmakers,” so unmarried girls were looking forward to the onset of the holiday in order to get married as soon as possible.

On August 28, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - a holiday dedicated to the day of the death of the Virgin Mary. Many people consider the day of a person's death a mourning day, and do not understand the joy of believers celebrating this holiday. In the understanding of the Church, the Dormition does not mean death, but sleep. On this day, they remember the miraculous passage of the Virgin Mary to Heaven, where She met the Son, the Father and the Holy Spirit.

History of the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

After the Ascension of Jesus Christ, the Mother of God lived in the house of John the Theologian. Once, during a walk in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Ever-Virgin and announced that in three days She would have to pass into eternal life and bodily death would not have power over Her, and that She, as if she had fallen asleep in death, would soon wake up and see in the light face of the Lord, eternal life and immortal glory.

Through the prayer of the Mother of God, it happened that in Jerusalem on the day of her Assumption, the apostles began miraculously to gather from distant lands. At the third hour, during a common prayer, at the hour of the death of the Blessed Virgin, an extraordinary light illuminated the room and Jesus Christ himself descended, surrounded by angels and archangels, and received a pure soul.

The odr, on which the body of the Mother of God was located, was carried by the holy apostles through all of Jerusalem. Their path lay in Gifsemane. Above the procession, the sounds of celestial music were heard and a cloud of light appeared. The high priest Athos wanted to stop the procession and tried to overturn the bed with the body, but the angel of the Lord cut off his hands with a fiery sword. Athos repented and received healing. Later he began to preach the teachings of Christ.

In the evening, the holy apostles laid the body of the Most Holy Theotokos in a coffin, and closed the entrance to the cave with a large stone.

It so happened that the Apostle Thomas was not present at the burial of the Mother of God. He arrived in Jerusalem on the third day and, regretting that he could not say goodbye to the Most Pure, wept bitterly at the tomb. The apostles took pity on him and rolled away the stone from the tomb so that he could venerate the holy body, but then they discovered that the body of the Ever-Virgin had disappeared, and there were only burial sheets in the cave. Then everyone understood that the Mother of God was taken to heaven in the body.

In the evening of the same day, the Mother of God appeared to the apostles at a meal and said: Rejoice! I am with you all the days! In response, the apostles raised a piece of bread and exclaimed: Holy Mother of God, help us". In memory of this event, the rite of panagia is performed in the monasteries - the offering of a piece of bread in honor of the Mother of God.

On the feast of the Assumption, the church glorifies the Mother of God, who has taken the entire human race under her protection and intercedes for people before the Lord Himself.

Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin: meaning

This holiday combines two opposite concepts - joy and death. In the understanding of the Orthodox, death is a temporary sleep until the human soul is resurrected. The Assumption of the Mother of God is an ode to eternal life, when, according to the word of the Lord, people who died in faith will enjoy eternity, where there will be no illness, suffering, grief and tears.

To celebrate this joyful event, it is better to visit the temple and attend the solemn service. Before the start of the service, put a candle, pray and bless all relatives and friends.

It is believed that on this day the Mother of God hears prayers for children in a special way, therefore, when visiting the temple, you should ask for health and good fortune for your children so that they do not deviate from the faith and can resist worldly temptations.

As you leave the church, do not forget to give alms to those in need. This day should be joyful for everyone, especially for those who are financially insecure.

Video: The meaning of the holiday of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

There are quite a few holidays dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos in Orthodox Christianity. However, among them there is the main one - this is the Assumption. It is celebrated on August 28th.

The Assumption of the Virgin is included in the list of 12 most important Orthodox holidays. This day marks the end of the two-week Assumption Fast, dedicated to the Mother of God. There are many folk traditions associated with the holiday of August 28, signs and church rules that every believer should know about.

What is the Assumption of the Virgin

The full name of the holiday is the Dormition of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary. This is one of the twelve Orthodox holidays. The Twelfth Feasts are dogmatically closely connected with the events of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Mother of God, and are divided into the Lord's (dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ) and the Theotokos (dedicated to the Mother of God). Dormition - Mother of God holiday.

The holiday, which is celebrated in the Russian Orthodox Church on August 28 according to the new style (August 15 according to the old style), is established in memory of the death of the Mother of God. Christians are led to it by the two-week Assumption Fast, which is comparable in severity to Great Lent. Interestingly, the Assumption is the last twelfth holiday of the Orthodox church year (ending on September 13 according to the new style).

What can you eat on the Assumption of the Virgin

On August 28, on the feast of the Assumption of the Mother of God, if it falls on Wednesday or Friday, you can eat fish. In this case, the conversation is postponed to the next day. But if the Dormition falls on other days of the week, then there is no fasting. In 2016, the feast of the Assumption is not a fast day.

Events of the Assumption of the Virgin

Everything that we know about the death of the Mother of the Lord Jesus Christ is gleaned from Church Tradition. In the canonical texts, we will not read anything about how and under what circumstances the Mother of God departed to the Lord and was buried. Tradition is one of the sources of our doctrine, along with Holy Scripture.

We learn from the New Testament that the Savior, crucified on the cross, asked his closest disciple, the Apostle John the Theologian, to take care of Mary: Behold, your son. Then he says to the student: behold, your mother! And from that time on, this disciple took her to him” (Jn 19:26-27). After the crucifixion of Christ, the Mother of God, together with the disciples of her Son, remained in prayer and fasting. On the day of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles (Pentecost), she also received the gift of the Holy Spirit.

In written monuments, starting from the 4th century, we find references to how the Mother of God lived on. Most authors write that she was bodily raptured (that is, taken) from earth to heaven. It happened like this. Three days before her death, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Mother of God and announced the upcoming Assumption. At that time she was in Jerusalem. Everything happened exactly as the Archangel said. After the death of the Most Pure Virgin, the apostles buried her body in Gethsemane, in the same place where the parents of the Virgin and her husband, righteous Joseph, rested. Everyone was present at the ceremony, except for the Apostle Thomas. On the third day after the burial, Thomas wanted to see her coffin. The coffin was opened, but the body of the Virgin was no longer in it - only her shroud.

What can be done on the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

For ancestors, this holiday coincided with the harvest, so the last sheaf was dressed up in a dress and worn with songs in the villages. This sheaf was called a dozhinka. After such processions, the sheaf had to be placed under the icon. And then they arranged a very big feast, at which they sang, danced, prepared beer and mead. The next day will be Nut Savior, so it is customary to collect nuts and prepare various winter preparations on the Most Pure.

Since this holiday is also the end of the Dormition Fast, that is, almost anything is possible. But it is better to exclude fatty and meat all the same. If the Assumption fell on Wednesday or Friday, then the breaking of the fast was postponed to the next day.

You can work at home and in the garden, make seams, ferment cabbage, and do housework. Some villagers believe that a little bit of spikelets should be left on this day, as this will help increase the next year's harvest.

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, signs

On August 28, the people celebrated the roasting, which meant the end of the harvest. At the beginning of the day, they tried to consecrate those fields where wheat and rye grew.

This holiday falls at the end of summer, so according to the weather conditions on this day, they judged what autumn would be like:

• if a rainbow appears in the sky, autumn days will be warm;
• if the weather on the Assumption is clear and sunny, then autumn will be rainy and cloudy;
• a lot of cobwebs - early, frosty and little snowy winter;
• if frosts come after the Assumption, then autumn will be very long;
• watch how the water behaves. If you don’t worry, then the autumn will be windless, and there will be no snowstorms in winter;
• if it is very foggy on the day of the Assumption, a large harvest of mushrooms should be expected, and the warm time will still please people a little;
• frost on plants on August 28 promises a very short autumn season, and frosts will come very soon.